Hospital laboratory safety guidelines are important to practice. Many lab technicians have to handle dangerous chemicals which can cause burns or major infections. Occasionally, lab visitors may come to the lab. In this case, visitors must also practice hospital laboratory safety rules.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Clean any spills up immediately. Most labs have a “spill kit” located in a cabinet or on the wall. These kits are designed with laboratory safety in mind. Use these kits to clean the spills. Remove any contaminated clothing and wash it alone from other clothing. Take a shower with soap and water.

Never work alone. Always have someone else in the lab with you. You may have to perform hazardous tasks and if something happens while you are alone, the situation could worsen quickly. Practice hospital laboratory safety guidelines to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.

No heavy lifting. If you have to lift something, make sure someone helps you. Always lift from the legs not the back. No lifting around chemicals or glassware.

Wear protective clothing. Always wear your lab coat, goggles, hair nets, gloves, etc. when needed. You may think you don’t need to, or that you look funny, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Do not drink, smoke, or eat any type of food in the lab. Take it outside, or better yet eat in your vehicle or at a restaurant. Food can become contaminate by air born pathogens easier than anything. Play it safe and following these hospital lab safety guidelines every day to ensure the safety of your health.